RO/DI QUESTION

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by Kryptic4L

vertex deluxe puratek. worth every cent.

+1 def a good unit

[cbrine]

Originally Posted by reefwars

+1 def a good unit

We plan to move to sundre (if we dont get posted to somewhere else) sooooo I don't want to have to change my system when we move to meet the needs of that area.

Ill have to see what Concept can get it for.....

[mike31154]

Test your current water source or download the info from your supplier. Knowing your home water pressure, temperature & incoming TDS will all be great info in helping to decide what unit to buy without going overkill with extra stages & unnecessary options. Eg, if your house pressure is at least 65 psi or more, you don't need a booster pump. Your house may have a PRV (pressure reducing valve) in the plumbing and these are adjustable within a certain range. You may be able to bump up the pressure in your house by tweaking the PRV. If you consider this, be advised that you'll need to ensure all your plumbing downstream of the PRV is in good condition. Most home plumbing is rated for 200 psi or better, so really shouldn't be an issue.

As far as changing your system, you'll find that most RODI units used in our hobby are built using standard 10" filter housings and regardless of manufacturer, you can usually add on or remove stages quite easily if your source water changes significantly as in the case of a move elsewhere. Booster pumps can also be added later no problem.

A good starting unit will have at least one pressure guage & a dual TDS meter, one sediment filter, a good quality carbon block, RO membrane & vertically mounted DI stage. You can add on & expand from there as needed.

Here's a link to FAQ at BFS. I did not buy my system from them, but I've seen that they consistently give good advice on many marine forums.
http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/FAQ.asp#FAQ21

[SoloSK71]

I am curious as to why you feel a vertical DI orientation is needed?

Charles

[mike31154]

Originally Posted by SoloSK71

I am curious as to why you feel a vertical DI orientation is needed?

Charles

http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/FAQ.asp#FAQ15

[cbrine]

Originally Posted by mike31154

Test your current water source or download the info from your supplier. Knowing your home water pressure, temperature & incoming TDS will all be great info in helping to decide what unit to buy without going overkill with extra stages & unnecessary options. Eg, if your house pressure is at least 65 psi or more, you don't need a booster pump. Your house may have a PRV (pressure reducing valve) in the plumbing and these are adjustable within a certain range. You may be able to bump up the pressure in your house by tweaking the PRV. If you consider this, be advised that you'll need to ensure all your plumbing downstream of the PRV is in good condition. Most home plumbing is rated for 200 psi or better, so really shouldn't be an issue.

As far as changing your system, you'll find that most RODI units used in our hobby are built using standard 10" filter housings and regardless of manufacturer, you can usually add on or remove stages quite easily if your source water changes significantly as in the case of a move elsewhere. Booster pumps can also be added later no problem.

A good starting unit will have at least one pressure guage & a dual TDS meter, one sediment filter, a good quality carbon block, RO membrane & vertically mounted DI stage. You can add on & expand from there as needed.

Here's a link to FAQ at BFS. I did not buy my system from them, but I've seen that they consistently give good advice on many marine forums.
http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/FAQ.asp#FAQ21

THANKS for the great info! Totally appreciate it! I currently live in Airdrie and we get our water from city of
calgary. I have NO CLUE who/where to find the info about water quality as I wanted to know about phosphate levels and a few other tidbits. Whoever I called had no clue what I was talking about both in Airdrie and in Calgary.

Annnnd I have no clue how to find out/test my water pressure/TDS/temp in my own home. cold water comes out and turns hot in the tank is as far as my awesome home owner skills go. Hubby is away and I don't think he would be able to tell me how to go about testing or even adjusting the pressure. I am sure the pressure is not a problem in our house since the water coming out of the tap is pretty strong (for sure compared to my parents taps).
Would you be able to recommend where I can get info about city of calgary water? And how to find out the rest of that info?
Much appreciated!!

[SoloSK71]

City of Calgary 2012 Water Quality Report

Charles

[Magickiwi]

Originally Posted by SoloSK71

City of Calgary 2012 Water Quality Report

Charles

City of Calgary 2012 Water Quality Report

Keep in mind though that this report is all the best data from the City, not necessarily accurate for each household. I know my Ca is much higher than the City report.

[mike31154]

Looks like your TDS could be anywhere from 156 to 299 according to the water quality report. 299 is on the high side. The only way to test the TDS of your tap is to use a TDS meter. TDS can vary according to time of year & whether the city is flushing lines in your area or not. If you wish to test the TDS coming out of your tap, you should be able to score a small handheld TDS meter at one of the larger home centers or even Wal Mart. I found one at Wal Mart in Vernon in the RV/camping aisles & I think it cost less than $20. Can Tire may have them too. Small price to pay to confirm your TDS. Pressure guages can also be had for about $20 at Princess Auto or other hardware outlets, although by the sounds of it, your water pressure is pretty good. As mentioned, a decent RODI unit will have at least one pressure guage to help monitor when you may need to change one of the filters. I installed a second pressure guage so I can compare the source water pressure with the pressure before the RO membrane. This pressure differential will creep up over time & give you a great indication that a sediment filter is in need of changing.